


Night Out at Nean

by solarwitchwrites



Series: Keeping Score [14]
Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Attraction, Drinking, Drunken Shenanigans, Hangover, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-19 13:50:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22278598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarwitchwrites/pseuds/solarwitchwrites
Summary: Yami, Finral, and Vanessa walk into a bar. Usually, this ends with two drunk Bulls and one sober and exasperated portal mage. Tonight goes a little differently.(Set the night before Asta and Noelle's first mission.)
Relationships: Finral Roulacase/Yami Sukehiro
Series: Keeping Score [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1426735
Comments: 61
Kudos: 283





	1. Lightweight

**Author's Note:**

> Based on one of my tumblr headcanon posts. And in the anime, Yami makes a mention of having settled his tab at Nean, so here's my take on how he did it.
> 
> Note on Henry: I hate how canon handled Henry, so in all of my fics, everyone has known about Henry since they moved in to base, and he’s more integrated with the squad.
> 
> Note on currency: The yul seems to be similar in value to the yen, so the amount Yami bets is the equivalent to about a hundred dollars.

Vanessa had already started towards the bar, softly singing a drinking song under her breath. At this hour the artisan's quarter of Nean was closed for the night, rendering it deserted and the safest place to portal in. But it did mean they had a few minutes' walk to the bar. Finral sighed as Yami stepped through, closing the portal. 

“A boy with no magic and a girl with no control... You've really outdone yourself this time, Yami.” Finral was glad that Asta and Noelle were both alright after her loss of control, but it really did show Yami's recruiting standards. They fell into step together, following Vanessa.

“Eh, they'll work out,” Yami replied. He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, then fished around for a lighter. With a huff of amusement, Finral opened a fist sized portal back to base. Putting his hand through, he rummaged around in the drawer for a second before pulling out a lighter. A flick of a finger closed the portal.

Handing it to Yami, he asked, “What are you even going to have them do?” Yami lit his cigarette with a murmured, 'thanks,' and took a drag before answering.

“I'll figure out a milk run for starters. Put Magna in charge, see if he can actually handle the responsibility.”

Finral looked at him curiously. “You're really serious about training him up for that?”

Yami snorted. “Who the fuck else? We built a squad of misfits and losers, Magna's the closest we've got to a well-adjusted heavy hitter who actually wants the job. Asta's got big dreams, but if he fucks off to become Wizard King at some point, I'm not retiring and leaving the squad a mess the way Grey Deer was after Julius got promoted.” 

Finral frowned. “Is Magna going to apply himself to the desk work though? There's a lot of forms and budgets to running a Magic Knight squad...”

Yami shrugged. “I didn't need to. Have you, don't I?” 

_Do Sunlanders really not know how that sounds?!_ Ignoring the twitch of embarrassment- and any other emotion- at Yami's phrasing, Finral sighed. 

“There's not really anyone other than me, though... I can't see Luck sitting still long enough. Henry doesn't have the energy, Gordon can't communicate well enough. Grey doesn't have the education. Noelle does, but...” Finral winced at the mental image of a Silva's wrath at being asked to do secretarial work. Yami blew out another plume of smoke.

“Either someone'll come along or I'll tell Magna it's real man's work and he'll be begging you to teach him.” They turned the corner, and Yami snuffed the cigarette before opening the door to the bar.

Finral laughed as they stepped inside. “Doesn't that make you not a real man, Yami?” _It's not my fault if he walks into it, right?_

Yami's eyes narrowed. “Oi, I'm the captain. Besides, like Magna will think of that.”

“True-”

Vanessa cut in, pushing between them and slinging an arm around each of their shoulders. “I didn't come here to listen to you two talk shop! You're here, order something already!” 

Yami glanced at Finral. “You're getting us home, watch the drinks.” Finral rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, I know. You guys get to have all the fun when we go out...”

Yami smirked. “And we babysit your lightweight ass when you get smashed at base. Deal with it.” Yami took a seat at the bar. The bartender eyed him suspiciously.

“Got a bit of a tab going, don't you captain?” Yami scowled.

“Always paid it before, haven't I? I'll settle up with you after payday, Gantt.” Gantt paused one long moment, mustache bristling, before he finally sighed and poured Yami's beer. 

Finral gave Gantt a reassuring smile, and stage whispered, “Don't worry, I'll take it out of his wages.” Yami grumbled into his beer; Gantt sighed. 

“At least one of you is responsible,” he muttered. Gantt poured Finral a light ale, already used to his alcohol restrictions, before turning and taking Vanessa's wine order. Finral tuned out the ensuing discussion of the merits of taste versus alcohol content and glanced over the night's crowd.

Mostly shop workers in for a drink after the day's labor, looked like. The majority were either out of his age range or men, which didn't interest him much (Finral delicately ignored the glaring exception sitting next to him drinking his beer). But there were still a few pretty ladies who didn't seem to be attached. Finral grabbed his drink and turned away from the bar.

“You actually score a date for once, you're still getting us home,” Yami reminded him.

“Like you'd let me forget,” Finral told him. _But if I do score a date, it'll only take a second to open a portal for them._ He put on a charming smile, and went to go see if the blonde in the red dress wanted a free drink.

*

It turned out that Cecily wasn't interested in a free drink, but she was interested in someone willing to listen to her talk about her day, and Finral didn't mind. There wasn't much point in angling for a date with someone you didn't plan on paying attention to, after all. She'd just gotten to explaining the utter ridiculousness of a customer's request when a loud throat-clearing made Finral look up. And up.

Well. It wasn't often that Finral ran into someone taller than Yami and almost as wide. It was a bit intimidating as he loomed over Finral, glaring down at him.

The man demanded, “You hitting on my girl?” Cecily groaned.

“I'm not your girl just because we were chatting earlier, Everard-”

Everard interrupted her, still looking at Finral instead of even glancing her way. _Rude_. “Yeah, we were chatting, as in, I was here first!” The man got louder as he spoke, and Finral felt his ears turning red as heads started turning across the bar. _This is getting embarrassing..._ Cecily looked like she wanted to melt into the bar table.

Voice conciliatory, Finral said, “You really don't need to raise your voice-”

Everard shouted, “I'll raise my voice if I want! What's some jumped-up noble wannabe doing in my bar, huh?” He squinted down at the table, and added, “And who drinks that watered-down piss, anyway?!”

Finral winced at the increase in volume, and tried again, “I don't want to argue, but you're disturbing everyone-” He got cut off again. 

“Real men can hold their drink,” Everard said, “You want a real woman, prove you can hold your liquor.” Finral opened his mouth to say that that was a terrible standard and that he had to be reasonably sober to portal home when Yami's hand landed on his shoulder.

“Ten thousand yul on my magic carpet.” Finral's eyes widened.

“Yami, are you serious?! Unless you want to fly home- did you even bring your broom?!” Across the table, Cecily shook her head; not a fan of heavy drinkers, then. Or just didn't like having her evening interrupted, which Finral agreed with. But Yami just shrugged, grinning like he'd gotten dealt a royal flush.

“Eh, I'll figure something out. It'll be worth the entertainment.”

Everard laughed, dismissing Finral as easily as he'd ignored Cecily, sneering at Yami. “You've got a bet!”

Finral groaned, slumping against the table. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cecily take advantage of the distraction to make her escape. Finral glared up at Yami, who still looked extraordinarily smug. Then he looked over at the loud bore who'd started all this. Everard was about twice Finral's size, and had the belly and red complexion of a habitual drinker.

_Entertaining... right. Why do I let Yami get me into these kinds of things again?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback encouraged!


	2. Contest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter's a little short, but it was the only place I could really cut it.

With the entire bar's attention already on them from the yelling, it wasn't long before other bets started getting made. Vanessa watched from her stool with amusement. _Oh, there are going to be a lot of disappointed faces by the end of this._ While Everard kept bragging about his alcohol tolerance, Finral made a face as he turned his grimoire over to Yami for safekeeping. Vanessa approved. Drunk portalling was best avoided.

Yami came back to the bar and exchanged a quiet word with Gantt. Drinks were poured. Vanessa grabbed the tray and took it over to the table. Everard had settled across from Finral and was trying to lay ridiculous bets on his victory. Only a few takers, Vanessa was pleased to note.

With a wink to Finral, she said, “Cheer up! You're always complaining you can't have fun when we go out, right?” 

Sputtering, Finral replied, “This isn't fun! You wanna take my place!?”

Vanessa laughed. “I'm not the one he challenged. Live a little, Finral!”

With a gesture towards Yami, Finral said, “You realize Yami accepted for me, right?”

Vanessa leaned closer, a knowing smile on her lips. “Yeah. I notice you're not backing down, though.”

Finral sighed. “Well... you're right, I don't get to drink that much when we're out. And,” he added, with a little more bravado, “that guy'd probably go annoy the other ladies here if he wasn't doing this, I can't ignore women in distress.” Finral threw a wink and a charming smile at a few shop girls watching the spectacle. They were a bit too involved in their bets to notice; Vanessa saw Yami rolling his eyes, though. She muffled a laugh. _Someday._

For now, she said, “That's the spirit! Now drink him under the table!” Finral groaned.

“You guys better get us home, if I wake up in a ditch someplace you and Yami can start flying everywhere again.”

Vanessa grinned. “Don't worry, captain can carry you home.” 

Right on cue Finral went red. “Vanessa! That's embarrassing!” But Vanessa didn't miss the way Finral's eyes darted over Yami's chest and arms before he ducked his head to hide under his bangs. She snickered. _Getting warmer, Finral?_

“Hey witch, you here to get us started or gab to the loser?” Finral tensed as Vanessa slowly turned to look at the man sitting across from him. Everard was leering at her like he'd said something particularly clever. Vanessa smiled, sweet as poison, and put a tankard in front of each man.

“Drink up! First to yield or pass out loses, ten thousand yul to the winner... and we'll throw in a kiss from me, just for fun!” Finral perked up, Everard laughed, but most of Vanessa's attention was on the sudden, irritated spike of dark mana behind her. She stifled a giggle. _If you're going to get jealous, captain, you should make a move already._

Vanessa stepped back to stand by Yami as the contest started. He glanced over at her, still looking a bit annoyed; then he visibly dismissed it and turned back toward Finral and his opponent. Vanessa sighed. _Still oblivious, I see. I wonder how long that can continue..._

*

Yami watched, grin slowly widening, as the alcohol vanished and things reached the inevitable conclusion. The big guy- Yami hadn't caught his name and didn't care- was slouching over the table, glaring blearily up at Finral.

“How are you still upright?!” he demanded. Finral- swaying a bit, but otherwise fairly composed- beamed down at him.

“This is a pretty normal amount for me, actually!” Finral replied cheerfully. “I just don't do it when we go out, because I'd probably portal to the moon in this state!” With a conspiratorial grin, he added, “That's why Yami took my grimoire first.” Turning to Yami, blinking slowly, he asked, “You do have my grimoire, right?”

Yami held it up, smothering a laugh. Finral nodded like all was right with the world and looked back across the table.

“But I heard him!” the guy protested, his words slurring. He attempted to gesture at Yami and Vanessa and only managed to overbalance himself, slumping against the table. “He called you a lightweight! You cheated!”

Finral's smile was loose and easy, clearly liquored up, but he was still speaking clearly as he said, “Yami calling someone a lightweight? That doesn't mean anything.” His expression went smug as he finished, “I'm still a _Black Bull_.” The booze had stripped away his usual appeasing tones, and Yami enjoyed the self-assurance it left behind.

Finral's opponent made one more inarticulate noise of protest before consciousness failed him, and he hit the table snoring. Finral laughed, flushed with alcohol and victory. Yami grinned.

_Yeah, he's mine. Read 'em and weep._

To Gantt, Yami called, “That's my tab settled, right?” The bartender nodded, busily collecting the bets with a pleased grin. He'd definitely made a killing, since Finral's build and noble mannerisms had made him the obvious underdog to anyone who didn't know Yami's squad well. Vanessa laughed as the regulars who had known better started ordering more rounds to celebrate their good fortune. She looked over at Yami.

“Gonna get a few more rounds to celebrate our win, Captain?”

Gaze lingering on Finral- who was happily downing the last mug from the tray Gantt had poured for the contest- Yami smiled. Even at base, Finral usually didn't cut loose quite this much. It was a nice change of pace.

“He's already too drunk to portal. Might as well let him keep going.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback encouraged!
> 
> Some life stuff is happening over the next couple weeks, so updates might get a bit spotty. I'm hoping not, but heads up just in case.


	3. Drunk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I was just gonna be gone for a couple weeks, and the life just... kept coming, basically. I'm hoping this is the start of being back to regular updates, but we'll see. Fingers crossed!

A few hours later found the three Bulls stumbling out of Gantt's place after last call. Or rather, one stumbling Bull supported by his two mildly-buzzed companions. Finral had one arm slung over Vanessa's shoulders and the other around Yami's back. When he pitched backward anyway, Yami curled an arm around his waist to steady him. 

_Dance lessons turned out to be good for something after all_ , Yami mused. _Discovered a convenient handhold._ Yami used it to help Vanessa steer Finral as the headed toward the edge of town.

For a while, most of Finral's attention seemed to be taken up by keeping upright. A few blocks away from the bar, though, he looked up and squinted at the streets. “This isn't base,” he said. Vanessa patted him on the shoulder.

“Nope, little further to go tonight. No drunk portalling, remember?”

“Right. Because the one time... with the barn... and the chickens.” With the air of one making a solemn- if heavily slurred- proclamation, Finral added. “I don't like chickens.” Yami chuckled.

“They didn't like you either, drunk guy landing in the middle of their coop.” Finral laughed, either not getting or not caring that the joke was on him, and swayed against Yami. The autumn air was sharp, not quite the chill of winter but close, and Finral was warm.

“You're warm,” Finral muttered, echoing Yami's thoughts. His feet slowed, and Yami tugged him along to get him going. Vanessa helped, and together they got Finral a few steps further before he suddenly stopped altogether. 

“Hang on... why am I walking?”

Yami snorted. “We just had this conversation... no drunk portalling.”

“No, not that... other thing. Vanessa said you'd carry me.”

Vanessa took one look at Finral's pout and burst out laughing. Yami sighed. _Switch up who's drunk and they're still a pair of idiots._ But looking at the way Finral was swaying, it wasn't the world's worst idea. Given Finral's penchant for expressive arm movement, though, Yami didn't trust that Finral wouldn't overbalance backward if he tried to carry him on his back. And while throwing Finral over his shoulder had some appeal, Yami didn't want to deal with the inevitable kicking.

On the plus side, scooping Finral up like a princess was _also_ liable to get mortified squawking in the morning, and wouldn't get Yami kicked tonight. Vanessa stared for half a second, like she was surprised he'd actually done it. Then she smiled in a way Yami couldn't quite read before giggling again. Finral, too drunk to be embarrassed, grinned and poked Yami's chest.

“You're really strong. Do you work out?”

Vanessa clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle a loud bray of laughter that the sleeping town probably wouldn't have appreciated. Yami snickered. _Guess the memory goes first... we need to play a round of poker next time he's this sloshed, he'd probably show his hand just to ask what he had._

Humoring him, Yami replied, “Something like that. Why, noticed?”

Finral hummed, placing his palm flat against one of Yami's pectorals, and said, “Kind of hard not to.” He was smiling up at Yami like he'd said something particularly clever. He was still flushed from the alcohol, body loose and relaxed in Yami's arms, but there was something warm and open in his eyes that didn't seem like just the booze.

Yami paused as they passed through the archway that led out of town, trying to figure out that look. No point in reading his ki; alcohol made everything fuzzy, and Yami'd had a few as well. But Finral shifted to curl tighter against Yami's chest.

His eyes were drooping as he muttered. “You should take me home with you.”

_Just drunk, then._ Yami shook his head, amused at the way the words had come out. Teasing, he replied, “You're completely tanked. I'm not one of your cuties.”

Finral's eyes closed. His voice was oddly serious as he muttered, “Don't care.”

Yami frowned at that, something tightening in his chest at the tone, but Finral's breathing was starting to go slow and even. Besides, he was drunker than Yami had ever seen him; it probably didn't mean anything. Nothing that would matter in the morning, anyway.

They'd reached the treeline. Vanessa sent out her threads with a gesture. They hauled back two reasonably-sized branches to use as brooms. Yami sighed. He hated flying. But he'd known this was coming when he volunteered his ride for a drinking contest, so he'd deal with it. Yami started to shift Finral so that he could grab one of the brooms. But then Vanessa's threads started to gently loop around the drunk portal mage.

Finral woke up enough to make an indistinct noise of protest. Yami raised an eyebrow at Vanessa. “Think I can't keep him from falling off a broom?”

“I think my thread magic is the best bet,” she replied cheerfully. “Come on Finral, you can lean on me.” Yami let Vanessa's threads lift Finral out of his arms, though he disliked the sudden chill as the warm weight was taken away. Vanessa settled Finral behind her on the broom. He immediately slumped forward, chin resting on her shoulder. Finral mumbled something cross-sounding that Yami didn't catch, but it made Vanessa smile. She murmured something back, equally quiet. Finral made a noise of agreement and relaxed again.

Yami looked between the two of them, but Vanessa just smiled and offered no explanation. Yami decided not to pursue it. _Those two never make any sense anyway._

Vanessa took to the air and Yami followed her. He kept half an eye on them, though there wasn't much point; with a few threads keeping him in place, Finral wasn't in any danger of falling. And from the way his limbs were dangling, the guy had completely passed out. Not likely to interfere with Vanessa's flight if he was asleep.

There was still an irrational little impulse to take him back and tell Vanessa he could handle a drunk passenger just fine. Yami blamed it on the wind chill. Finral had been warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yami... why are you this dense...
> 
> Feedback encouraged!


	4. Hangover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter actually went fairly easy. Probably because it's Finral angst, and that tends to write itself...

Finral woke up to a pounding headache, a queasy stomach, and the realization that the sun was the worst invention of the universe. He dragged his blankets over his head, curled up into a ball, and tried not to feel like he was dying.

_The heck happened last night? We went out, I remember portalling to Nean- how did we even get home if I got this drunk?_ As Finral opened a pair of portals to grab a glass and some water, he tried to piece together the series of events. They'd gotten to the bar. He'd ordered a light ale. There had been a pretty blonde...

Drinking contest. Which Finral had been going to decline, pride be damned, until Yami had stuck his nose in. Finral groaned. Of course he had. Admittedly the look on the guy's face when Finral had drunk him right under the table had been priceless, but Finral was still going to get back at Yami later. Principle of the thing.

Finral sat up enough to start drinking the water, still trying to keep as much fabric between him and the light as possible. Okay, he'd won the drinking contest. It got a bit blurry after that, but he was pretty sure he remembered sharing a few more drinks with Yami and Vanessa. To celebrate the win. Vanessa had given him a peck on the cheek and laughed when he'd protested, said that she'd never specified what kind of kiss. Then they'd left the bar, at which point-

_“Vanessa said you'd carry me.”_

Finral felt his face go hot as he suddenly remembered the particulars of the walk to the edge of town. He set down the glass of water harder than he'd intended, barely noticing as a bit spilled on his fingers. He hadn't really- please tell him he hadn't-

_The stars overhead were slowly spinning, but Yami was solid and warm. Finral grinned up at him. He liked Yami. There was a tiny voice in the back of his head muttering that he wasn't supposed to do anything about that, but it was just as drowned in booze as the rest of him._

_Poking the muscled chest in front him him (nice) Finral said, “You're really strong. Do you work out?”_

Finral cringed and curled tighter under the cover as the embarrassment hit. _Really?I get drunk enough to flirt with Yami and I can't even think of a decent pick up line? Are you serious right now?!_ Several words he'd picked up from Yami tumbled from numb lips. Finral scrubbed at his hair as if he could rub out the memory. Yami had to think-

-waitaminute.

_Yami's expression was bland as ever, only a hint of amusement coloring his voice as he replied, “Something like that. Why, noticed?” A slight smirk._

That was definitely a variant on 'I'm humoring the idiot' rather than 'why the fuck is Finral flirting with me.' Not that Finral had been paying much attention at the time, a little more interested in the shift of muscle under his palm. Forcibly not thinking about that, Finral focused as intently as he could on the rest of the recollection. It was hard, he'd been starting to pass out at that point, but...

_“You should take me home with you,” Finral muttered. Not something he'd ever said to one of his dates, too forward, but you had to be blunt with Yami. No subtlety._

_But Yami shook his head. “You're completely tanked. I'm not one of your cuties.” Yami was comfortable, Finral was tired, and he didn't remember why he shouldn't, so he cuddled in closer._

_Of course he knew Yami wasn't one of the castle town girls he usually flirted with. They were cute and fun, but they didn't stick around. They hadn't given him a home and told him he was worth something. And they didn't push him to his limits or drive him up walls or play stupid jokes on him or act like his opinion mattered..._

_Finral tried to articulate that; drunk as he was, all that managed to pass his lips was, “Don't care.”_

Finral remembered a change in motion that might have been a pause in Yami's step. But nothing dramatic, no inhale of realization. He'd probably just stopped to see if Finral was really out. And Yami had told Finral years ago that alcohol- on either end of the equation- messed with his ability to read ki, especially if he wasn't paying attention in the first place.

Finral carefully peeked out from under the blanket. The light wasn't hurting his eyes quite as badly. He took another slow sip of water, retracing the conversation one more time. Then he breathed a sigh of relief. _I guess he didn't even notice... thank goodness._ Finral pointedly ignored the little stab of disappointment that mixed with the relief.

Of course, it hadn't meant anything, he'd been drunker than he had been in a long time. He didn't usually get that liquored up even at base. It wasn't surprising that random things had flashed through his mind or come out of his mouth. Especially in proximity to someone Finral had already had to admit an attraction to.

Because having actual _feelings_ for Yami would be... difficult. Finral didn't do difficult. He wasn't good at it. He'd long since learned to stick to the few things he was good at (getting people from Point A to Point B, Yami's paperwork, nagging Magna and Luck to eat their vegetables) and the things that let him ignore everything else (flirting, drinking, killing time with the rest of the Bulls). Anything else was pointless. He knew that.

Yami wasn't even his type. At all. Physically, yes, Finral hadn't been able to deny that for months, but. The rest. Yami wasn't sweet, soft-spoken, prone to giggling, or delicate. He wasn't even particularly nice-

_“So do things your own way. Not everything has to be violent.”_

-most of the time. When it counted, he- he-

_-“Don't mind our mutts. If you have a problem with them, get Finral to sort it out.” 'Ours,' something shared and entrusted-_  
_-A hand on his face, warm eyes on his. “Better. Now you look like you.”-_  
_-“Haven't regretted it yet,” Yami says, like Finral hasn't been a disappointment to everyone else in his life-_

Oh, hell. Finral put his head in his hands and groaned.

Fine. Fine. This was still not un-salvageable. This was... normal. When you worked with someone attractive and they'd been there for you when your life had been ripped to pieces, feelings happened. Vanessa had a shine for him too, and all Finral knew about where she'd been when Yami had found her was 'bad.' And Yami might be crude, rude, and generally a jerk, but he did have the raw charisma demanded of a captain.

So. Nothing had really changed. Finral had fallen victim to the edge of the Yami Sukehiro Effect (that was a thing now, he decided). Definitely wasn't alone, there were probably loads of people equally perplexed by how they wound up getting butterflies around a guy like Yami. The solution was obvious.

Get. A. Girlfriend. 

Something real. Not serious, Finral didn't do serious, just... real. Achievable. A fun, flirty relationship with someone actually in Finral's reach, and not... Yami. Who didn't do romance anyway, he did friends and casual sex and occasionally both at once, and that wasn't Finral's style. So even if he had been someone Finral could remotely measure up to, they weren't compatible anyway.

Right. It was all very simple and logical.

If his head hurt and his heart ached, it was just the hangover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *puts down the second cluebat* Still haven't quite managed the l-word, but it's a step past 'he's hot.' Progress!
> 
> At least Asta and the Underwater Temple arc are gonna help with some of the self-esteem issues...
> 
> Feedback encouraged!


End file.
